Compressed air for dental applications must be free of oil, dry and hygienic and must not have any particulate contaminants that are too large. This follows directly from chapter 5.3 of the relevant standard ISO 22052. Beyond the technical requirements, the compressor plays a particularly important role and is consequently referred to as the ‘heart of the practice’. Compressors help teams and their patients by ensuring that straight and contra-angle hand pieces, powder jet devices, treatment units and CAD/CAM devices all run smoothly. Nevertheless, the ‘compressor team member’ remains modestly in the background and requires hardly any attention apart from an annual filter change.

If required, a compressor can supply dental compressed air twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The relatively recent standard ISO 22052 provides a detailed and specific definition of dental compressed air. It has been in force for two years and since then has set out the requirements and quality required of dental compressed air.

Dental compressors from Dürr Dental are carefully designed to ensure full compliance with this standard. In addition, they also meet a range of additional requirements for day-to-day use in dental practices. For example, dental compressors are classified in risk class IIa as ‘active therapeutic medical devices’. Among other things, this means that they require CE certification in accordance with the currently valid EU Medical Devices Regulation. This can be read off the type plate from the four-digit number after the CE mark. If this is missing, then the product’s suitability for applications in dental practices within the European Union is not ensured.

A compressed air system from Dürr Dental is compliant with the standard ISO 22052 and keeps dental practices on the safe side. It gives the dental team the confidence that allows them to focus on their patients and approach treatments in a relaxed manner. In addition, a standards-compliant compressed air system can also be used to ensure proper and successful operation of milling or grinding machines for production using CAD/CAM techniques.